Sources Say Houthis Seized Yemen’s Mocha With Iranian Support | Ukraine news
The capture of a strategic Red Sea port could reshape Yemen’s fractured battlefield and intensify pressure around one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.
Iranian weapons, funding, and military advice helped Yemen’s Houthis seize the port city of Mocha on the Red Sea coast. The offensive was coordinated by commanders from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to Yemeni, Iranian, and regional sources.
As informed by Reuters
The Houthis’ rapid advance along Yemen’s western coast began this week. The capture of Mocha strengthened their control over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime route through which significant volumes of the world’s energy supplies pass. This came amid Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Six months after the start of the broader regional conflict between Iran’s Houthi allies and the United States, the group appears to have focused on consolidating its positions near Bab el-Mandeb. Meanwhile, Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces are conducting an offensive in the north of the country.
Two Iranian sources said Tehran urged the Houthis last week to intensify attacks against Saudi Arabia, a close U.S. ally. Iran also promised to provide additional funding, weapons, and senior officers.
Publicly, Iran calls the Houthis allies while denying that it directly controls their military operations. Tehran says the group is not an Iranian proxy force.
According to a regional diplomat familiar with talks with Tehran, several senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders have already traveled to Yemen. They were expected to oversee and coordinate Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia following several weeks of discussions about military strategy.
Another Iranian source, a government official, said Tehran had held meetings with its allies, including the Houthis. According to the source, the Houthis themselves – not Iran – made the decision to advance on Mocha. At the same time, the operation benefited Tehran by helping drive up oil prices and harming U.S. and Saudi interests.
Five military sources in the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, which is recognized by the international community, said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps directed the Houthis’ new campaign along the Red Sea coast. The offensive in the narrow coastal Tihama plain began with a massive missile barrage.
Yemeni military sources cited intercepted communications and testimony from captured Houthi fighters. In their view, the operation may have been led by Abdolreza Shahla’i, one of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders.
Iranian sources were unable to immediately confirm the information. They had previously said, however, that Shahla’i, who is part of the Quds Force, had been in Yemen in recent years.
According to Iranian sources, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps continued moving weapons and personnel to and from Yemen despite the air and naval blockade of areas controlled by the Houthis. The sources did not specify how this was carried out.
If you look at their offensive along the western coast, it is clear that it was not prepared merely last week or last month. The capture of Mocha was an important milestone in the war.
– Ahmed Naji
The analyst said the Houthis’ growing strength was largely linked to their acquisition of new types of weapons, either directly from Iran or through various smuggling networks. Among other capabilities, the group made extensive use of drones during the latest offensive.
Uncertain military situation in Yemen
When the Houthis began advancing toward Mocha last week, Yemen’s government asked Saudi Arabia to increase its air support and provide other assistance.
Yemeni authorities requested airstrikes against Houthi positions in areas where the group has its main strongholds, including Sana’a, as well as against strategic facilities, including oil storage sites and other important targets.
Riyadh, however, limited its assistance to logistical, weapons, and intelligence support. Saudi aircraft carried out only limited strikes, focusing on the northern fronts in the provinces of al-Jawf and Marib, which the Yemeni government considered less important.
Yemeni officials believe Saudi Arabia is trying to avoid a major escalation with the Houthis, fearing new and more powerful drone attacks on its territory.
The overall situation on Yemen’s front lines is difficult to assess after a yearslong pause in large-scale fighting. A ceasefire was reached in 2022, but Iran and Saudi Arabia continued building up the forces they support in the country. At the same time, the coalition backing the government has been weakened by internal divisions.
Government forces may be able to make some gains if they receive the necessary support from Saudi Arabia. But this time it may be more difficult.
– Ahmed Naji
Previous fighting in Tihama has already led to sudden advances and retreats. For now, however, it remains unclear whether Saudi-backed forces will be able to quickly push the Houthis out of the areas they have captured.